MATTOON — Gov. Bruce Rauner attributed the lack of funding for Eastern and MAP grants to inaction by House Speaker Michael Madigan while endorsing the reelection of U.S. Rep. John Shimkus on Monday in Mattoon.

Rauner and Shimkus stopped at the Stadium Bar & Grill to address a group of about 50 including Shimkus supporters, the presidents of Eastern and Lake Land College, the mayors of Charleston and Mattoon and a group of high school students.

Some Eastern faculty members were present to hear the talk; however, they were not allowed to sit in the back room where the politicians were speaking.

Other faculty members and students, barred from protesting inside the restaurant, gathered outside holding signs that demanded higher education funding.

Rauner said by refusing reforms and pushing for a tax hike, Madigan, the chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, is holding up money that could be used to fund universities and MAP grants.

“Madigan’s holding us hostage; he’s holding EIU hostage,” Rauner said. “The money is there for MAP grants, and the money is there to fund universities so there would have to be no layoffs. Madigan won’t allow it.”

Rauner said the state has $160 million “sitting there idle” and “gathering dust” in the form of special purpose funds that could be used to fund universities such as Eastern.

Shimkus, a Republican representing the 15th congressional district, is vying to maintain his seat against Republican state Sen. Kyle McCarter.

Shimkus said taxation and economic growth are issues on both the state and national levels that require attention.

“If our worker’s compensation costs are three times more here versus Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri, we’re at a disadvantage; that’s part of the fight,” Shimkus said. “That’s why we need this turnaround agenda, and that’s why we really need to do the same thing in Washington. EPA regulations, Department of Labor regulations really make it difficult for us to continue to grow.”

Erin Walters, the executive director for Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Service, was able to hear the presentation and ask Rauner about funding for rape crisis centers afterward.

Walters said Rauner’s initial proposal funded rape crisis centers, and he has expressed support for them; however, SACIS continues to struggle without a budget passed.

“Sexual violence against women, men (and) children is not a political issue and requires funding immediately, so while I understand there is a lack of cooperation, a lack of negotiation at the state level, what’s important to note is that our services are diminishing,” Walters said. “We’ve had to close our doors one day a week with the potential of that increasing.”

Billy Hung, a biology professor and media coordinator for Eastern’s chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, said a group of faculty representing UPI intended to hear what Rauner had to say and ask him questions.

Hung said they were seated in the back room but asked to leave that area of the restaurant by management before the talk began because it was reserved for supporters of Shimkus.

“I really want to ask (Rauner) how he thinks starving universities helped turn Illinois around,” Hung said. “And the loss of jobs from EIU and all the other schools, how is that helping local communities? Because I agree we need reform, but at the same time you can’t do reform (while) killing the communities. There will be nothing left to reform.”

Karen Pope, a Panther dining employee, was seated at the table with Walters and later asked Rauner how Eastern is supposed to manage the “irreparable damage” of laying off so many workers.

“The governor said to just hang in there, and I told him I don’t believe that we can,” she said.

She said communities having to suffer for the sake of Rauner’s turnaround agenda would incur damage too great to withstand.

“I don’t think this is something we can just bounce back from,” Pope said. “We don’t have nine houses that we can sell one off to offset our cost of living. When these people lose their jobs, they will potentially lose their homes.”

Gateway adviser Yolanda Williams was also present with the UPI group; she said she brought her “Fund EIU” sign but left it in her car so she could enter the restaurant.

Williams said she was told the back room was full, so she sat at the bar where she could not hear much of the speech.

Williams said she thought it would be more like a public forum, and she wanted to ask Rauner why he was “starving” state universities.

Gateway adviser Juanita Cross also had a question out of concern for her students.

“I would have asked, ‘What am I supposed to tell my students who want to leave Illinois because there’s no funding for the MAP grant and without that they can’t come?’” Cross said.

Eastern President David Glassman said he has reason to believe funding higher education is the top priority in Springfield right now.

“Both sides are talking about higher education and the funding of education, and both sides are talking about how important it is to fund higher education and to fund EIU,” Glassman said. “But we really need to get both sides together to make some kind of a compromising bill that will allow this critical situation to ultimately be resolved.”

Stephanie Markham can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]